Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Sentence Sneak Peek - Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues

Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues by Diana Rowland

The first sentence from each chapter of Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)



“So you hiding a body in here or sumthin’?”

“I know I’m the one with the so-called iron stomach,” I said, “but even I think this is seriously disgusting.”

“By the time we got the body extricated and into the body bag, the evening sun was busily painting the sky over the highway in brilliant shades of orange and yellow while also making it hard as hell to see to drive.”

“The question continued to tumble through my head as I headed to the morgue.”

“What do you mean, there’s no surveillance video?”

“Marcus insisted on walking me out to the parking lot, which was more than fine with me.”

“The rest of my shift was blessedly uneventful.”

“Dad wasn’t home when I got there, and I sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to go looking for him.”

“The autopsy of Marianne was brutal.”

“It was tempting to sit back and consider Dr. Leblanc’s words to me and daydream about doing more with my life, but right now finding out about the stolen body was a shitload more important.”

“I drove straight from the crime lab over to Marcus’s house, pushing my poor little Honda to the limits of its endurance and risking more than a few tickets.”

“I might not have felt like crying, but I sure wasn’t a happy, cheerful camper either.”

“My heart slammed at the sight of the gun leveled at me.”

“Not surprisingly, I slept like absolute shit.”

“There was a time when I’d liked math and even thought I was pretty good at it.”

“I gave the stack of fiction-heavy employment paperwork to Mr. Lombardo, and got the hell out of there, doing my best not to draw any more attention to myself than pos-sible.”

“I went home, stripped off my clothes, and crawled under the covers in an effort to grab something resembling a nap.”

“I slept late enough to feel almost rested, and went on in to work my noon shift.”

“As I drove home, distant flashes of lightning were put-ting on a spectacular show in the clouds to the west.”

“It wasn’t a big house.”

“My nerves were shot by the time we pulled into the parking lot if the XpressMart.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I lost my virginity to Randy on this football field, in this exact spot, though I didn’t remember it being quite so creepy back then.”

“Once I was safely handcuffed and leg-shackled, they made a fairly thorough search of my person.”

“I finally forced myself to shower and change into the t-shirt and sweat pants that had been left for me, know-ing that if I didn’t, McKinney would come back and do it for me, in as horrible and humiliating a way as possible.”

“Food was brought in for Philip and me, once again on plastic cafeteria trays.”

McKinney had another gun in an ankle holster.”

“I let out an unholy scream—totally for the benefit of the dispatcher, or course—then braced myself since I knew what was coming next.”

“When Pietro said he wanted to give me a chance to clean up I figured we’d stop at a convenience store where I could wash the worst of the grime off in the bathroom and then buy a vastly oversized shirt that I could wear as a dress until I could get home.”

“And then Marcus took me home.”

“The next morning I headed to the probation and parole office, arriving with plenty of time to spare before my meeting.”

Monday, July 30, 2012

Recommend A...First Book in a Series

Shanyn from Chick Loves Lit came up with this awesome feature for Mondays.

Shanyn says, "“Recommend A…” will have a new prompt every week, which I will have posted ahead of time on the Recommend A… page. All you have to do is Recommend with me on Mondays, following the prompt, and link me so I (and everyone else) can see what you’ve recommended!"

This week I Recommend A...First Book in a Series

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

"A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming."

I adore this book and highly recommend it to everybody.  I know I was hooked on this book from the very first chapter, it's extremely intense.  The book really makes you contemplate how much faith a person would have to have to leave one world behind for the promise of another.

My favorite quote from the book:

"It is like a piece of my soul has been lost, empty, and it is now filled with the light of a million stars."

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Top 5 Sundays - Fictional Worlds You'd Love to Live in!!!

This feature was thought up by the awesome Larissa's Bookish Life
Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3 - Feel free to use the Features image
4 - After you've finished your post, add your link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.
5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)



Top 5 Sundays - Fictional Worlds You'd Love to Live in!!

This would be the ultimate world to live in because then every day would be filled with magic and of course having magic powers would be beyond cool.  The places creatures, and people would also make for plenty of good times. 

This would be a crazy world to live in but I think it would be worth it especially with all the exceptional alien guys walking around.

I would like to be a soul in this world because they remember every past life that they've had.  It of course would mean that you remember all of the good and bad but I think the vast array of knowledge would be cool to have.

This world would be interesting to live in because it's kind of Medieval and also has dragons that can look like humans.  It would of course be fascinating just to talk to a sar/dragon.

I would love to live in this world because it's just so interesting.  I've always been curious to what jewel I would have and the different realms sound awesome.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Winner of the Sweet Sixteen Divisible by Four Giveaway

 
Congrats to Lacey the winner of the Sweet Sixteen Divisible by Four Giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I've emailed Lacey and she has a week to get back to me, if I don't hear back a new winner will be chosen.


Thanks again to everybody that entered the giveaway and supported Four. :)  #FourTheWin



Friday, July 27, 2012

YA Crush Tourney - Vote for Four from DIVERGENT


Hi everybody, I'm Becky B. and my blog is Bibliognome.  In this YA Crush Tourney I'm very happy to be advocating for Four, the supremely awesome guy from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth.

I'm so happy that Four has made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the YA Crush Tourney and I would be thrilled if he made it to the next round. :)


*** Four is up against a very tough opponent so Please VOTE  for Four as much and as often as possible and of course encourage others aka everyone you know to vote too.  ***
If you haven't read Divergent here's my review of Divergent and Insurgent.

Divergent has also won plenty of awards as seen on Goodreads (and the bright orange sticker on the cover of the paperback):

"Goodreads Choice Award for Favorite Book of 2011 and for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2011), ALA Teens' Top Ten Nominee (2012), Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2012)"

Vote, Vote, Vote, Vote for Four.  He's chosen Dauntless but believes in the old ways and not what they're doing now.  He has respect for every faction.  
In the world of Divergent choice is everything because once you choose a faction you have to follow their rules or you basically become a pariah.  As the tagline for Divergent says, "One Choice Can Transform You."  Four is definitely a guy that has transformed himself.  

Please make the right choice and choose Four :)

Four's Features:
I really liked Divergent Lexicon's description of Four so I've included it here (be aware if you follow the link that there are some spoilers about Four if you haven't read the books.) -
"He has a spare upper lip, and a full lower lip. His eyes are so deep-set that his eyelashes touch the skin under his eyebrows, and they are dark blue, a dreaming sleeping, waiting color. His voice is deep, and it rumbles. He smirks. He has a stillness about him. He appears tame from the front, by Dauntless standards, but there is a tattoo that peeks out from the back of his t-shirt. His fingers are so long that, the heel of his hand touches one side of Tris’s ribcage, and his fingertips still touch the other side. He is quiet, remarkably self-possessed, and intimidating. He has a faint hollow beneath his cheekbone and taut, defined forearms. His voice is low and smooth and almost soothing. The corners of his mouth turn down naturally and he has a scar on his chin. Even when he glares, his eyes look thoughtful. Their shade of blue is peculiar, so dark it is almost black, with a small patch of lighter blue on the left iris, right next to the corner of his eye. He is muscular, nothing on his body yields. His hair is dark, almost black, especially when he cuts it short."

Name Poem for Four
F - Fearless (well almost)
O - Outstanding
U - Unique
R - Reliable

My Ode to Four
Four knows the score
Dauntless to the core
Feels there has to be more
Knows each faction and its lore
May just be what you're looking for


The Dauntless faction, which Four is a major part of, were made even cooler to me when I read how much they love cake.

In honor of Four making it to the Sweet Sixteen Tiny Reverse Vampire and I made our own version of Dauntless cake.  Ours is made from a dark chocolate cake mix, has vanilla frosting and of course some very special decorations which can be seen in the picture at the top of the page.


Now sit down for a spell and listen while I regale you with songs about how awesome Divergent and Four are:

Here's a brand new song to listen to while you VOTE for Four:



Title: Vote for Four
( This song is a mix of the illustrious theme song from The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Eye of the Tiger :)

Go, go vote for Four!
Go, go vote for Four!
Go, go vote for Four! Four the win YA Crush Tourney

Vote, vote vote vote
vote vote vote
vote for Foooouurrr

Standing up, close to the ledge
TIME TO FIGHT,THE SWEET 16

Now’s my chance, to be truly Dauntless
FIGHTING MY WAY THROUGH THE BRACKETS

It’s the will of the Dauntless
Guarding what’s right
We will fight for votes all night

Go, go vote for Four!
Go, go vote for Four!

Go, go vote for Four! Four the win YA Crush Tourney


The will of the Dauntless
The will of the Dauntless

Vote, vote, vote, vote
vote, vote, vote
vote for Foooouurrr  


Some More Songs to Sing while you vote for Four:


Title: Divergent Trilogy
(Sung to the tune of The Adams Family)

Mysterious and broody
and all together swoony
This story'll be a great movie
Divergent Trilogy

There's this guy called Four
Him I really adore
Can't wait to see what's in store
Divergent Trilogy

Fleet

Feat

Elite

So put a Dauntless shirt on.
Prepare to train and roll on.
Enjoy be sure to read on
Divergent Trilogy





Title: Hunt for Crushes
(Sung to the tune of See My Vest)

You see some gals hunt for sport,
Others hunt to court,
The only thing I'm hunting for
Is a crush worthy of meeee.
See my Four, see my Four,
Always hot, never a bore.

Feel that tension, not to mention
Not a bit of apprehension.

See the way, he doesn't stray.
Me oh my, I'd be there to stay.

Though life treated him rough
he stays strong and extra tough.

Never fear when he's around
Feet firmly on the ground.

Knows a lot of ways to slay
He lives the Dauntless way

See my Four!
See my Four!
Oh, please, wont you see my Fouuuuur

I really like my Four. :)
 


Best Quotes said by/or about Four that prove he's who you should vote for:

"I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different." - Four (pg. 336)

“A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.” – Four (p. 95)

"Whoever he is, I like him. It's easier to admit that to myself now, in the dark, after all that just happened. He is not sweet or gentle or particularly kind. But he is smart and brave, and even though he saved me, he treated me like I was strong. That is all I need to know.” - Tris (pg. 288-289)


If you also adore Four make sure to check out The YA Sisterhood and VOTE in The YA Crush Tourney.



** Also be sure to check out my giveaway where if you support Four you have a chance to win $20 to The Book Depository.**

Thursday, July 26, 2012

YA Crush Tourney - Sweet Sixteen Divisible By Four Giveaway


Hi everybody, I'm Becky B. and my blog is Bibliognome.  In this YA Crush Tourney I'm very happy to be advocating for Four, the supremely awesome guy from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth.

I'm so happy that Four has made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the YA Crush Tourney and I would be thrilled if he made it to the next round. :)


***Four is up against a very tough opponent so Please VOTE  for Four as much and as often as possible on July 27th.***

I'm also giving away $20 to The Book Depository to a supporter of Four who enters this giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday - Son

"Waiting On"  Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on...  

Son  by Lois Lowry



* Book will be released October 2, 2012


Check out the description from Goodreads:


"Told in three separate story lines, Lois Lowry’s Son combines elements from the first three novels in her Giver Quartet — The Giver (1994 Newbery Medal winner), Gathering Blue, and Messenger — into a breathtaking, thought-provoking narrative that wrestles with ideas of human freedom. Thrust again into the dark, claustrophobic world of The Giver, readers will meet an intriguing new heroine, fourteen-year-old Claire. Jonas from The Giver is here too, and Kira, the heroine ofGathering Blue. In a final clash between good and evil, a new hero emerges."


I have adored each book in this series. It's the first dystopian type book that I've ever read, it kind of introduced me to the whole science fiction/dystopian genre. I can't wait to see how the story ends because each new story has just been so intricate and intriguing.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Review - Obsidian

5 out of 5 gnomes

A great start to a series.  I love these characters.  This book reminded me of the show Roswell, which also had some awesome alien characters.

I was hesitant to read this book at first because I didn't enjoy the author's other series.  I was drawn in hook, line and sinker though after reading the Kindle preview.  This is the first book I've ever bought right away after reading the preview, I just had to know what happened next.

Katy, the main character, I liked right away (probably because she is a book blogger too).  The author did a stupendous job of portraying the geekiness and excitement of getting books in the mail and talking/blogging about them as much as possible.  She has plenty of problems after being thrown into small town life after moving clear across the company with her mom.  The death of her father still weighs heavily on her and she wants to make sure that her mom is happy.  Her life is forever changed after she meets, Daemon, the boy next door.

Daemon is well to use polite terms, not very nice at first.  He doesn't seem to wear a shirt a lot and Katy can't seem to look away from him.  He is very protective of his family and when Katy becomes friends with his sister Dee he is not happy.  At the same time though you can tell that Katy intrigues him.  They have some crazy chemistry together and some extremely funny antagonistic interactions.

I like how the aliens are explained and you slowly find out just how much trouble a relationship between Katy and Daemon would be.  This isn't a case of disapproving parents or anything, in fact Katy's mom is thrilled that she's going out, it's a case of a disapproving government.  Let's just say that there's a precedent that happened before where the whole dating an alien did not end so well for either party.

This book is worth reading because both the main characters are so well defined.  There's no insta-love here, I think Katy flips Daemon the bird more often then not.  They both are a little slow to get to the conclusion that they both really like each other.

Then there's the ending which has plenty of surprises.  There's an undeniable connection between them that looks like it will make the next book quite promising.